This is the city: Los Angeles, California. I work here. I'm an ex-mayor. Los Angeles is a magnet for people from all over the world. Some of them run for public office. Inevitably some of them stray from the golden rule and rule for those that have the gold. That's when I go to work. My name is Yorty. I'm a dead pol.

Monday, May 06, 2013

Downtown News Endorses Garcetti

Even though Wendy Greuel is the all-in favorite of the Downtown LA elite (as well as their kissin' cousins, VICA, in the Valley), it's nice to see our friends at the Downtown LA News are one of the few fishwraps of late doing actual journalism and bucking the trend.

"Every candidate has his or her detractors, but Garcetti has generally impressed during the 12 years he has represented the 13th District on the City Council. During that time, multiple communities in his territory have seen big advances, becoming more active and livable. Although the improvements in Hollywood, Silver Lake and other neighborhoods can partly be attributed to larger economic cycles, Garcetti has routinely nurtured the gains, knowing when government can help and when it is better to stay in the background and let business or neighborhood groups take the lead. The growth in his district is similar to that seen in Downtown Los Angeles during the same period.

"Garcetti has valuable leadership experience that will serve him well in the mayor’s suite. Although he was one of the council’s younger members in 2006, he became the panel’s president and held the post for six years. During that period he favored consensus-building over strong-arming. His style was different and quieter than those who came before and after him: He skipped the flash and bombastic rhetoric, yet still largely managed to keep a batch of big egos in check, which is no easy task."